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Poland

Poland
	Capital	Warsaw
	Population	38,482,919
	Area	312,685 sq km
	Language	Polish
	Currency	Poland, Zloty (PLN)
		1.000000Zl (PLN) = 0.348616$ (USD)

Poland, once famous for Lech Walesa, Solidarity and the Pope, is now reaching celebrity status for something else…its accolade as one of the best real estate investments in Europe.  Add to this its popularity as a tourist resort
and its accessibility due to cheap Europe-wide flights and you end up with a burgeoning economy.

In 1989 Poland elected its first democratic government and even though it did go through a period of economic instability, the country has largely succeeded in discarding its communist mantle and embracing a market economy.  Joining the EU has helped to consolidate this transition.  Poland is still one of the poorest counties in Europe and needs massive investment to help modernize and increase its agricultural output.

Rich in cultural heritage and historical buildings, and space, Poland is becoming attractive to expats and financial investors alike. The main cities, Warsaw and Krakow are sophisticated and many of their architecturally unusual buildings have been lovingly restored since WW2. Warsaw is a vibrant financial and business centre and Krakow is famed for its music festivals and street theatre which is why has been named the ‘Culture Capital of Europe’ several times in recent years.

Festivals and music are important characteristics of Polish life as is their Catholic religion.

The countryside in comparison, is fiercely traditional and rural and although the people are always friendly, you will not find as much English spoken as you will in the cities.

There are three distinct areas….the mountainous south, a flat central, largely  agricultural plain and a stunningly beautiful forested lake district to the north, which is the area that attracts the tourists.

The expatriate community in Poland is small, and the majority of those are officially contracted employees, but since joining the EU in 2004, foreign employers have caught on to the potential market here, and the relaxation of rules for owning property and doing business here have started an influx.

Cost of Living
The cost of living is about 40% lower than that in the UK and 35% of that in the USA; this is hugely advantageous if you earn your money outside of Poland because salaries within the country are only about a quarter of the equivalent wage in most other European nations.  For expats, life can be very comfortable and eating out and entertainment becomes part of everyday life rather than a special occasion to be saved for.

Towns and cities are more expensive than the country areas, and Warsaw is reputed to have the highest prices of anywhere in the country. 

Although Poland has acceded to the EU, they do not use the Euro yet so the
unit of currency is the zloty (PLN), made up of 100 groszy (gr). As at January 2010, 1 PLN was equivalent to US$0.337, 0.247 Euros, and GBP0.215. Banknotes come in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 PLN, and coins in denominations of 1, 2 and 5 PLN and 1, 2, 10, 20 & 50 gr.

Infrastructure
The telecommunications system is pretty outdated in Poland, a left over from the communist days when the market was monopolized by TPSA.  The market was opened up prior to EU accession but it has taken a long time to update the systems.

However, the mobile phone has been discovered and practically every Pole has one, or perhaps two, attached to his or her ear.  Amongst teenagers the mobile phone is a way of life. There are three providers – EraGSM, Orange and Plus GSM. Coverage in the rural areas is not always good, but in the towns it is more than adequate.

Internet, particularly in the cities, is good and all businesses are connected. In private homes it is still very much a luxury and is quite expensive, but there are a plethora of internet cafes, which you will find populated by teens.

Transportation
The internal road network, as well as that between Poland and its neighbouring countries is good, and the public transport network is efficient. Bus and rail services run through the entire country and there is an underground system in Warsaw. Most other cities operate trams in the centres.

Polish driving in general is considered to be erratic, but laws on the maintenance, state of the vehicle and insurances are quite strict.

As a member of any other EU country you can drive on your own driving licence; if you live in Poland permanently you have the option of exchanging your licence for a Polish one without having to take a driving test. Other nationalities that have an exchange agreement with Poland, can drive on their own driving licence, unless they intend to stay in the country for more than 6 months in which case they need to have a Polish licence and need to take a test. All other nationalities are required to hold an International Driving Licence.

Between the 1st October and end of February headlights must be on at all times when driving, even during the day and note there is zero tolerance when it comes to drinking alcohol and driving. The legal limit is 0.2mil.

Healthcare
Poland has a national healthcare system funded by the government and national insurance contributions. These are deducted from your salary or if you are self employed you are required to make the necessary contributions. If you are a foreigner working in Poland your insurance contributions will be paid by your employer and you will be entitled to the health care. If you have a work permit or temporary or permanent residency, you are entitled to access this system provided the national insurance taxes have been paid. If you are a member of another EU country you can access the healthcare system provided you have an E-111.

All other foreigner have to pay for their healthcare, either directly or through a medical insurance policy.

For the main part, health care and hospitals are of a high standard, and indeed Poland has become a primary destination for ‘medical tourism’ patients.  Non-essential procedures such as cosmetic surgery can be undertaken at a fraction of the cost of either the US or UK and other European countries.

Visas
As with applying for residency in any foreign country, it always involves bureaucracy and piles of paperwork!  With Poland, this is no different. In addition there is the language problem, so even if you do not take on an agent to process your visa application you will need someone who speaks Polish to help you.  All documents will have to be translated into Polish.

EU citizens are entitled to visit Poland without visas but if they intend to stay longer than three months they will have to apply for either a permanent or temporary residence visa.  The citizens of Ireland, Sweden and Great Britain do not need to apply for a work visa in order to work in the country.

Poland does not recognise dual citizenship. 

If you do not work in Poland and apply for a temporary or permanent resident’s visa, you will have to prove that you have sufficient funding and adequate health insurance to look after yourself and your dependents.

There is no retirement visa programme. If you are a member of another EU country you can apply to reside in Poland, provided your pension will support you fully. You can have your pension from your country of citizenship paid to you in Poland. If you have worked in Poland for at least 12 months before retirement, and intend to stay for at least another 3 years in the country, you can apply for residency on that basis.The retirement age in Poland is 65 years for men and 60 for women.

Citizens from South Africa, India, Ukraine, china, Thailand, Russia and some with certain types of the former Yugoslavia passports, do need visas to enter Poland, even for periods of less than 90 days.

Property
Prior to Poland’s accession to the EU in 2004, foreigners were not entitled to buy property in the country. Now, the real estate market has opened up Poland has become the 2nd best investment market in Europe, with some pundits suggesting a 400% increase in values over a ten year period.

Citizens of other EU countries are entitled to buy a property in Poland if it is their main residential home and they are permanently resident.  If they are not resident, but want to buy a property as a second or holiday home they have to apply to the Minister of the Interior and Administration. All other nationals need a permit from the MIA in order to purchase property.

Permits are also required for the purchase of agricultural land, land that is being purchased for real estate investment projects and property and land that is used for business reasons.